Visual Guide to Fatty Liver Disease
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- May 4, 2019
- 3 min read
More Widespread Than You Realize
Fatty livert disease is the most common disease you may not hear about it. Most people dont really know that they have this disease or even dont know what is it. Most times, this liver disease is mild, but it can lead to more serious health problems. Yet you can often control or reverse fatty liver with smart changes to your lifestyle.
What Is It?
It is the buildup of fats in the liver. There are two basic types: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease, also called alcoholic steatohepatitis. Sometimes, the extra fat can trigger changes that stop your liver from working well. Since your liver filters toxins out of your blood, that could make you very sick.
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
The most common type of fatty liver disease is usually harmless. But some people develop a more severe version called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). That's when your liver gets swollen, which can lead to cirrhosis (scars on the liver that don't heal) and a greater chance of liver cancer and heart disease. Experts think NASH is about to become the leading reason for liver transplants.
Who Does NAFLD Affect?
You are more likely to have it if you're overweight or obese; have diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, or hepatitis C and other liver infections; or take certain medications, including steroids or drugs for cancer or heart problems. Most people with this type of fatty liver are middle-aged. But the disease can happen to anyone, even kids.
Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
People who drink too much alcohol develop fatty liver disease and being obese increase the risk. So can problems that you're born with in your genes. This can be the first stage of more serious problems. If you keep drinking, you could go on to have alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and higher odds of liver cancer.
Symptoms
Most of the time, there are no symptoms. But some people may feel pain or pressure in the middle or right side of their belly, or be very tired. And sometimes, fatty liver and related problems can make you lose your appetite and lose weight.
Diagnosis
Because it often has no symptoms, doctors can miss fatty liver disease. Typical lab tests may not catch it either.
Special blood tests can check how well your liver works. Your doctor may want to do an ultrasound or CT scan to see how your liver looks. You might need a biopsy: The doctor will use a needle to get a very small sample of your liver to check it for signs of disease.
Treatment
There is no medicine for fatty liver disease but you can make changes to your lifestyle that could help.
Lose Weight
Obesity is the main cause of NAFLD. So if you are obese then you can contact your doctor as he/she can prescribe appropriate diet with exercise in order to lose 1-2 pounds not more as fast weight loss could worsen the condition. Dropping just 3% to 5% of your body weight can help.
Exercise
Moderate exercise like brisk walking for 150 minutes every week can help in removing some fat.
Don't Drink
When you have alcoholic fatty liver disease, the most important thing to do is stop drinking. It may not be easy, but the benefits are big, especially if you catch it early you may be able to completely reverse the damage. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, talk to your doctor.
Cutting out alcohol can help with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, too.
Take Care of Your Health
Get treatment for related medical conditions, like diabetes and high cholesterol. Ask your doctor if you can stop taking medications that might cause fatty liver disease or switch to different ones. See your doctor (or a liver expert, called a hepatologist) regularly to keep on top of any changes you might need to make to your treatment plan over time.
Be Kind to Your Liver
You may need shots for hepatitis A, hepatitis B, the flu, and pneumococcal disease to protect your liver and keep you healthy. Dont take any medicine or supplement before speaking to your doctor.
Prevention
You need to adapt healthy lifestyle to prevent fatty liver disease. You need to exercise regularly, eat nutritious food, consume less fat and consult your doctor always. Try to manage any other conditions like heart disease, diabetes or hypertension.
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